BOSTON -- The Toronto Rock opened the 2010
National Lacrosse League season Saturday with a 17-7 win over the
Boston Blazers in front of an announce 8,241 crowd at TD Garden in
Boston, MA.

Rookie defender Creighton Reid opened scoring for Toronto with a
short-handed goal just over four minutes into the first quarter
followed by another from Rock first-round pick Garrett Billings.
Assistant captain Blaine Manning made it 3-0 for Toronto with 4:31
left on the clock and followed up with his second two minutes later
with a behind-the-back shot past Blazers goalie Anthony Cosmo.
Boston got on the board with a goal by Brenden Thenhaus, but
Toronto would end the quarter up 5-1 on Billings' second goal.

After a scramble in front of Toronto netminder Bob Watson, the
play was sent to the other end of the turf to see Josh Wasson go
one-on-one with Cosmo, draining the Rock's sixth. Toronto would
strike again off the faceoff from Manning's third of the night
causing Boston to pull goaltender, Cosmo. Boston replaced him with
backup Mike Poulin.

Daryl Veltman and Dan Dawson brought the Blazers up to three, but
Wasson and rookie forward Stephan Leblanc answered back for the
Rock. With 3:45 left in the half Billings scored his
third to collect the hat trick, bringing the score to 10-3 in favor
of Toronto. He would strike again a minute later, assisted by Colin
Doyle and Kasey Beirnes, to end the half.

With Cosmo back in net, Dawson scored for Boston to start the
third quarter, which would remain quiet until Beirnes put one
between Cosmo's legs with 5:46 on the clock. The back and forth
continued as Dawson dove across the crease for his third Blazers
goal of the night followed by teammate Veltman.

Toronto began the fourth with a with a six-goal lead that was
quickly extended to seven off a goal by Mike Hominuck. Captain
Colin Doyle sunk his first goal back in a Rock jersey to bring the
score to 14-6. Leblanc was next for the Rock to bring the tally to
15, followed by rookie teammate Billings, his fifth of the game.
With 6:49 left in the game the Blazers would get back on the board
with a goal from Gary Bining. Manning drowned the next for Toronto
to collect the hat trick.

Lead scorer for Toronto was first-round (sixth overall) NLL entry
draft pick Garrett Billings with five goals. Billings added two
assists for seven points. Colin Doyle had one goal and nine
assists.

Reigning NLL MVP Dan Dawson led the Blazers with three goals and
two assists.